Does this sound crazy or is my colleague giving me red color all over place? You might find this funny, but it could certainly be true.
Just like people, colors tend to have a natural ambience and feeling to it. Red is usually associated with boldness, sharpness and it cannot go unnoticed. Yellow is a bright, happy color. Green is connected with nature and stability. Do you agree?
A Dutch company of researchers has developed a personality & behavior training that splits people into four main categories with different colors. Each color carries specific behavior traits that a person employs in the context of work but it is not only that simple. The training is called Mapstell and just like on the map of the world, each person lives on a different island that represent his traits.
The concept distinguishes people by whether they are introverted or extroverted, task or people oriented. You might have noticed how a colleague of your does not waste any time chitchatting and wants to get straight to the task at hand. That might feel heartless to people who love to have a chat with the group before moving forward with the task. Or have you noticed a colleague that cannot end the meeting without a clear plan for the next one? On the other hand that could be stressful for someone who likes to work more intuitively. It all makes sense once you know what traits each colleague carries and what they need in order to perform well and feel comfortable.
Give the demo version a try and “put yourself on the map”!
The lack of awareness of coworkers' personality and traits might cause irritation and stall the progress of a project. Understanding what makes someone or yourself tick prompts for pleasant synergy at the workplace. I completed this training a year ago and it was a huge revelation about my own behavior in a team and why I act or lead in a certain way. I no longer hold grudges over myself or others. I try to analyze their actions and assume what color they are. Then I only use this knowledge to make my colleagues feel seen and heard but definitely not misunderstood.
Here is what you need to know about each color category that is spread over in four quadrants:
The red color / Decisive - a natural leader, who is not afraid to take risk, make decisions with certainty but could also be a bit rigid. The red color people are usually in management positions and are great at leading the team
The yellow color / Influential- the start of the team, a person who makes the group laugh, operates with positivity but could also be great at distracting the team from working on a task.
The green color / Stable- the nurturer of the group who is usually more quiet but very much cares about the wellbeing of the group.
The blue color / Conscientious - the big planner who cannot move forward without a plan or clear structure. This person needs to have everything right before continuing.
My color is yellow which means I fall under the Influential category. In a work setting I usually swift between Mediator & Entertainer depending on the needs of my team. For me it was important to make a distinction between me and my colleagues because it reduced the misunderstanding caused by unspoken needs or perceptions about the working process.
Each of these traits can be beneficial once it is out of the dark and taken in as a strength rather than a weakness. Once my team and I knew our categories, we explored our perks and pet peeves in the context of work and moved our project along much more smoothly. When we needed a distraction, as a person operating in yellow color, I had plenty of jokes under my sleeve. When we needed to make a firm decision, we knew that my red colored colleague would be best at leading us through. And since we lacked the planning, our blue colored colleague came to the rescue with a structure that helped us succeed.
Having this knowledge about each person creates understanding and compassion towards your colleagues. Knowing what drives and motivates them is the secret to effective team cooperation.
What about you? Do you recognize yourself in one of the categories?
ElenaK_NemetschekBG
Junior Product Specialist
Nemetschek Bulgaria
Bulgaria
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